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Evidence of Curry Spices Discovered in Southern Vietnam, Making it the Oldest in South-East Asia

CNN reported on Tuesday that curry was eaten in Southeast Asia at least 2,000 years ago, based on the traces of spices found on a grinding slab and other stone tools that were uncovered in Vietnam. This discovery provides the earliest known evidence of the dish in the region.

Administrator

7 August, 2023

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A sandstone slab was unearthed in 2018 at the Oc Eo archaeological complex in An Giang Province, southern Vietnam. Plant remains on grinding and pounding tools revealed traces of various spices including turmeric, ginger, fingerroot, sand ginger, galangal, clove, nutmeg, and cinnamon. While some spices were reminiscent of Indian curry, others were distinctly Southeast Asian. Dr. Hsiao-chun Hung of the Australian National University, who led the excavation and research, stated that these spices reached Vietnam 2,000 years ago, providing evidence of early curry preparation in the Southeast Asian region. The originators of curry in Vietnam were likely migrants from India or local inhabitants influenced by South Asian culture. The research also supports the belief that Oc Eo was a major port city in the ancient kingdom of Funan, further suggesting early trade contact. The stone implements discovered at the Oc Eo site, including mortars and pestles, were found to be of South Asian origin. The researchers were surprised to find that nutmeg seeds excavated from the site still retained their aroma after two millennia. The findings were published in the journal Science Advances. Follow us on Facebook or Twitter for the latest news on Vietnam.